Purse



F. L. DUMAS May 24, 1960 PURSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 3, 1958Frances L. Dumas INVENTOR.

May 24, 1960 F. L. DUMAS 2,937,630

PURSE Filed July 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Frances L. Dumas 1 N VEN TOR.

United States Patent PURSE Frances L. Dumas, Burbank, Califi, assignorof fifty percent to George A. Harrison, Jr-., Denton, Tex.

Filed July 3, 1958, Ser. No. 746,550 Claims. (Cl. 150- -35) Thisinvention relates to a ladys purse.

An object of the invention is to provide a'ladys purse with a built-incompartment shaped to form one side or end of the purse. The compartmenthas walls anda bottom that also-constitutes at. least a part of the endor side wall of the purse, and the compartment opens out from the purseon a hinge returned by spring action. The spring action holds thecompartment in a closed position, but yieldingly so that the compartmentcan be pulled open in order to have access to the various spaces in thecompartment. In this way the various items and articles carried byapurse may be held separate from each other, eliminating scrambling inthe bottom of the purse for loose items. All of the items and articlesthat are 'sufiiciently small and that are ordinarily carried in thepurse can be separated and held neatly and orderly by the compartmentedcontainerthat forms an integral part of the purse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a purse with a source ofillumination capable of shining on the face of the owner of the pursewhen the compartment is in the open position. This is to enable theowner to inspect her face for possibleflaws in make-up or even tooriginally apply make-up or straighten disheveled hair or perform themany other lady's make-up activities with the aid of the illumination.

A purse constructed in accordance with the inven-' tion provides acompartment that issub-divided to ac-' commodate miscellaneous smallitems. The purse, then, maintains the small items readily removable orreplaceable in the sub-divided compartment Without fitting them into anyspecial holders, clips or the like. The compartment is maintainedseparate from the main body of the purse within which articles such as aladys wallet, gloves and the like may be maintained. The construction ofthe purse is such that a dividing panel separates the main body of thepurse from the compartment and also functions as a closure for thesub-divided parts of the compartment to assure that the small items,keys, lipstick, etc., are retained in the sub-divided compartment.

The compartment when open, displays all of the small items and placesthem at the finger-tip of the owner. The compartment when in a closedposition completely conceals the source of illumination, but when openexposes the source of illumination so that it can be directed on theface of the owner and in an emergency directed in other places. Forinstance, should the lady drop her keys and fail to recover them atonce, the lady may use the purse source of illumination as a flashlightto find the keys in the darkness, or to'find the keyhole within which toplace the key in this hypothetical situation.

One of the features of the invention is in the arrangement of the switchfor the source of illumination. The switch is a normally opened switchrequiring a lifting action on a lever, button or the like to close theswitch and energize the source of illumination. The switch operator islocated in the path of hinged movement of the main closure of the purse.so that when the main "ice Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view ofthe purse in Figure 1 but showing the purse in the fully closedposition. Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the rearpart of the partition or dividing wall in the purse and particularly,the arrangement of electrical wiring for the battery operated source ofillumination.

Figure 4 is a sectional vi'ew'taken .on the line '4--4 of Figure 1 andin an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the batterycase of the source of illumination.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a part of thehinge construction for the compartment of the'purse. Inthe accompanyingdrawings there is-a ladys purse 10 constructed to exemplify theprinciples of the invention. The purse has two end walls 12 and'14, arear wall 16 and a partition or panel 18 that rises from the bottom '20of the purse and terminates a slight distance from the closure 22. Theclosure 22 is a panel connected by hinge 24 to the upper edge of therear wall '16 of the purse. Partition 18 is located inwardly a slightdistance from the front edge of the bottom 20 of the purse and from thelower portion 28 of the front wall of the purse.

The upper portion 30 of the front wall of the purse serves a doublepurpose. It isnot only a partof the front wall of the purse but also thebottom of a compartment 32.

The compartment 32 is sub-divided by dividers "34 and 36 and has sidewalls or panels '38 and '40 together with end walls or panels 42 and 44'which are se'curedto the The sub-dividing illustrated bottom of thecompartment. in Figure 1 and described herein is a suggested arrangementwith possible variations in the partitioning being within the purview ofthe invention. The same holds) true of the external configuration andornamentation of the purse. This may be varied and will be varied inaccordance with styles,'market demands, etc. Therefore strap 41 attachedto the ends 14 and 12 of thepurse is optional. Spring-loaded catch 43which engages striker 46 on the upper portion 30 ofthe front wall of thepurse is a'fur'ther easily alterable part of the purse.

The space between partition 18, lower part 28 of the front wall and thebottom 20 of the purse, and beneath the side 38 of the compartmentserves as additional storage space 50 for other items whose selection isleft within the prerogative of the purse owner. Storage space 50definedabove, is closed when the compartment is in the closed position (Figure2) and kept isolated from the main body 52 of the purse;

Hinge 54 is attached to the confronting edges of the portions 28 and 30of the front wall of the purse thereby hingedly mounting the compartmentso that it can be swung to an open position (Figure 1) and to a closedposition (Figure 2). One or more springs "56 are attached to the twoportions 28 and 30 of the front wall of the purse, for instance byattaching to the hinge plates of hinge 54 (Figure 7). The purpose of thehinge spring is to maintain the compartment in the closed condition butenable the compartment to be pulled open for'access to the interiorthereof and the interior of space 50. 1

When the compartment is open, a source of illumination, for instancelight bulb 60 is exposed to view. The light bulb is carried by a socket62 in holder 64 that is mounted on the upper edge of partition 18. Theholder has a battery case 66 with a closure 68 at one open end thereofso that flashlight batteries can be inserted and removed. The closurecan be frictionally held in place within the battery case or on thebattery case and the holding action enhanced by indents 70 that engageeach other and that are formed in the battery case 66 and closure 68. Achannel 72 formed by a pair of parallel plates 73 and 74 depending frombattery case 66, form a downwardly opening pocket within which the upperedge of the partition 18 is adapted to be fitted. A clamping action thatresults holds the holder in place on the partition 18. The light bulb 60is passed through an opening 78 in,the upper part of the partition 18 sothat the glass envelope is on the compartment side of partition 18,while the socket 62 and majority of the battery case 66 is on theopposite side of partition '18. A shade 80 constructed of a part ofplate 73, extends over the top part of the envelope part of the lightbulb 60.

As shown in Figure 4 closure 68 is of electrically insulating materialand has conductor 84 passed through it. A contact 85 is at the end ofthe conductor and adapted to contact one of the poles of the batteries86 in the battery case 66. The conductor extends to the socket 62. Thebattery case is used as a ground connection for the batteries 86 andtherefore switch 88 is at the end of battery case opposite from theclosure 68. The switch has a switch operator 90, in the form of aplunger with a button 91 on its upper end. The plunger slides upwardlyand downwardly with respect to the purse partition 18 and has a slidingcontact 92 attached to it. The sliding contact is adapted to bridge oneof the battery casings and a part of casing 66 to establish a groundpath for energizing light bulb 60. The sliding contact 92 can be made ofspring metal, for instance, brass or copper. A detent or indent 94 latchto establish an off position for the switch and to maintain that offposition, is operatively connected with the switch operator. The indentcan be formed on the end wall 95 of the battery case and engage a recessor corresponding indent in the switch operator. Accordingly, the switchoperator has to be lifted until the sliding contact 92 bridges one ofthe batteries and the battery case to establish a ground path for thesource of illumination to become energized. Therefore, should the ladyforget to open the battery circuit, closing the closure 22 willautomatically achieve this inasmuch as the battery operator is in thepath of travel of the closure 22.

Mirror 98 is attached to the inside surface of closure 22 and becomesexposed to view when the closure is elevated to an open position. Inthis position, the light rays from light bulb 60 will strike the face ofthe user when she lifts the purse to inspect her face.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A purse for ladies, said purse having end walls, side walls, abottom, a closure attached to one of said side walls and adapted to beswung between the open and closed positions, the other of said sidewalls having a lower part and an upper part, means hingedly connectingsaid upper part to said lower part so that said upper part is swingableto an open position with respect to said lower part, said upper parthaving sides panels and end panels projecting therefrom and dividersprojecting therefrom and forming a sub-divided compartment which isexposed to view when said upper part is hingedly moved to the openposition, a partition wall in said purse and adjacent to the edges ofsaid side panels and end panels of said upper part when said upper partis swung to a position approximately coplanar with said lower partwhereby said partition constitutes a closure for the sub-dividedcompartment and retains the items captive within said sub-dividedcompartment, a source of illumination on the upper part of saidpartition and facing in the direction of said other side wall, saidsource including a battery case, a socket for a light bulb, and meanshaving a channel provided with a pocket embracing a part of saidpartition for supporting said battery case on said partition.

2. A purse for ladies, said purse having end walls, side walls, abottom, a closure attached to one of said side walls and adapted to beswung between the open and closed positions, the other of said sidewalls having a lower part and an upper part, means hingedly connectingsaid upper part to said lower part so that said upper part is swingableto an open position with respect to said lower part, said upper parthaving side panels and end panels projecting therefrom and dividersprojecting therefrom and forming a sub-divided compartment which isexposed to view when said upper part is hingedly moved to the openposition, a partition wall in said purse and adjacent to the edges ofsaid side panels and end panels of said upper part when said upper partis swung to a position approximately coplanar with said lower partwhereby said partition constitutes a closure for the sub-dividedcompartment and retains the items captive within said sub-dividedcompartment, 21 source of illumination carried by said partition walland including a light bulb facing forwardly of said partition wherebythe light rays from said light bulb are projected forwardly of the pursewhen said upper part and compartment are moved to the open position,said source of illumination including a switch that has a switchoperator, a battery case mounting said switch operator for movement,said switch operator located in the path of travel of said purse closureand adapted to be actuated by said purse closure when said purse closureis moved to the purse closing position thereby automatically opening thecircuit of said source of illumination when said purse closure is in theclosed position.

3. A purse for ladies, said purse having end walls, side walls, abottom, a closure attached to one of said side walls and adapted to beswung between the open and closed positions, the other of said sidewalls having a lower part and an upper part, means hingedly connectingsaid upper part to said lower part so that said upper part is swingableto an open position with respect to said lower part, said upper parthaving side panels and end panels projecting therefrom and dividersprojecting therefrom and forming a sub-divided compartment which isexposed to view when said upper part is hingedly moved to the openposition, a partition wall in said purse and adjacent to the edges ofsaid side panels and end panels of said upper part when said upper partis swung to a position approximately coplanar with said lower partwhereby said partition constitutes a closure for the sub-dividedcompartment and retains the items captive within said sub-dividedcompartment, a source of illumination carried by said partition wall andincluding a light bulb facing forwardly of said partition whereby thelight rays from said light bulb are projected forwardly of the pursewhen said upper partand compartment are moved to the open position, saidcompartment located above the bottom of said purse, a portion of saidpartition, said lower part and a portion of the purse bottomconstituting an additional compartment isolated from the first mentionedcompartment, one of the walls of said first mentioned compartmentconstituting a closure for said addi tional compartment when said firstmentioned compartment is in the closed position.

4. A purse for ladies, said purse having end walls, side walls, abottom, a closure attached to one of said side walls and adapted to beswung between the open and closed positions, the other of said sidewalls having a lower part and an upper part, means hingedly connectingsaid upper part to said lower part so that said upper part is swingableto an open position with respect to said lower part, said upper parthaving side panels and end panels projecting therefrom and dividersprojecting therefrom and forming a sub-divided compartment which isexposed to view when said upper part is ln'ngedly moved to the openposition, a partition wall in said purse and adjacent to the edges ofsaid side panels and end panels of said upper part when said upper partis swung to a position approximately coplanar with said lower partwhereby said partition constitutes a closure for the sub-dividedcompartment and retains the items captive within said sub-dividedcompartment, a source of illumination carried by said partition wall andincluding a light bulb facing forwardly of said partition whereby thelight rays from said light bulb are projected forwardly of the pursewhen said upper part and compartment are moved to the open position,said compartment located above the bottom of said purse, a portion ofsaid partition, said lower part and a portion of the purse bottomconstituting an additional compartment isolated from the first mentionedcompartment, one of the walls of said first mentioned compartmentconstituting a closure for said additional compartment when said firstmentioned compartment is in the closed position, with the maincompartment of the purse isolated by said partition from said firstmentioned compartment and said additional compartment, and yieldingmeans operatively connected with said portions of said walls of saidpurse for opposing the pivotal movement of said upper portion of saidWall in one direction and yieldingly maintaining said compartment in theclosed position.

5. The purse of claim 1 wherein said channel has a shade for directingthe light rays from the source of illumination, and a face mirrorcarried by said purse closure for inspecting the face of the purse useron which light rays from said source of illumination are directed atleast in part by said shade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS702,403 Chapman June 17, 1902 757,661 Jacob Apr. 19, 1904 904,545Maderia Nov. 24, 1908 1,014,853 Russell Jan. 16, 1912 1,612,342 AlstrandDec. 28, 1926 1,964,615 Williams June 26, 1934 2,218,396 Hallbauer Oct.15, 1940 2,331,428 Selezneff Oct. 12, 1943 2,334,079 Feinberg Nov. 9,1943 2,611,573 Young Sept. 23, 1952 2,630,362 Bass Mar. 3, 19532,816,628 Garfield Dec. 17, 1957

